Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Eco-Beautiful Magazine's First Year Anniversary Party !

The room was filled with excitement as Katie Martin, editor and chief of Eco-Beautiful Wedding Magazine, came out to share her thoughts about Eco-Beautiful Wedding Magazine's first year. The First Year's Anniversary Issue  had been revealed just that morning
AND her wedding anniversary was the same day. She also updated the audience as to her pick of the oh-so-talented, Robin Fisher, of Polished Image and Style, to be her Managing Editor.

Just the day in the life of a hard working entrepreneur, mother, wife and friend to many in the industry. Chris Kole of Cotton Bride was there with their beautiful cotton wedding dresses that are well on their way to be must-haves for ANY bride-to be. The run-way show was spectacular.. the energy and electricity in the air was palatable. There were a host of vendors and sponsors who collaborated beautifully to make for a spectacular evening. Click here for a full list of those involved


Here are some of my favorites from the evening!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Senior Lifestyle Shoot - Megan

There comes a time in a young girls life that everything is just lovely.  The world is her oyster. There is nothing that she can not do. There is not a place on earth she can't visit, explore or live. There is no job she can't acquire.  She is strong, vibrant, silly, serious, stubborn, fresh, confident, joyful, beautiful and full of purpose. The time.. that time comes somewhere between High School and Collage and stays around for a while.. longer if you are lucky and then things change for a young woman... For all of the adult women reading this you know about this time/transition, but that is another post or perhaps a book I'll write someday.  I will stay in this moment because this post is about this beautiful girl who is living in her moment right now.  To see it behind the lens is refreshing and noticeable.. palatable, distinguishable.  I am so happy that she is living in that moment, this moment.. because her time is now and my prayer is that she can stay as close to this moment forever!
Megan.. you are beautiful.. as you go off to new places and new things, may you always remember this moment in time.  These really are the best of times. 



Click here to see more of Megan's Senior Lifestyle Shoot. Senior year 2011






Seriously?



The word of the day was "perfect"



Every time I said it, I'd apologize and she'd laugh














What a beautiful smile..

 

Don't forget to watch her slideshow !

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Fairfax Old Town Hall Wedding : Richard + Mona

     Mona first met Richard at her favorite restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana where she was a regular patron and he worked. In her overly friendly fashion Mona stopped Richard on his first day at work to introduce herself and then immediately asked him if anyone had ever told him he shared a surprising likeness to Danny Bonaduce. Needless to say Richard did not appreciate the comment. He made a rather sarcastic comment and walked away.  While that first awkward encounter made them both decide not to ask each other out, over the coming months a surprising flirtation developed over cups of coffee, crossword puzzles and games of volleyball – a flirtation that neither could deny. Their love morphed over months and a long distance love affair that helped grow their fondness and love for each other.
On a beautiful May afternoon many months later while standing on a sandy path between the beach and the dunes by the North Sea... Richard officially proposed asking Mona to marry him.

 Mona and Richard... it was such a pleasure meeting the two of you and documenting your very special day.  It was clear from the beginning that your wedding and your details would be awesome to photograph and their importance, as defined by their meaning to you and your backgrounds, would be a sight to behold .  From the stacks of vintage books from the groom's father with vintage ink wells sitting atop each which served as your centerpieces, handmade/painted candles from the groom's Aunt, handmade traditional Pakistani favor bags made by the bride's mother and handmade letterpress type block name plates and vintage typewriter table numbers both made by the bride... this intimate affair was reaping of culture, history and love from both unique sides.
Finding out that my favorite detail was also your favorite part of the decor was really no surprise at all, once I thought about it.....The display of old black and white family pictures which represented the coming together not only of two people but of two entire families and their histories was just spectacular and your family and friends gathered around it from time to time all night long..
It is clear that the traditions of both cultures are rich and abundant and important to both of you... the pictures, books with family love, a mother's reflection of years past and present, friends providing toasts to the couple, songs sung to the bride and groom (with everyone laughing at the thought of ...singing? what? is this a tradition?  ok... we will go for it), the most beautiful and passionate sitar music being played throughout, tears and laughter, dancing and bear hugs.. the evening seemed a perfect mix of ........ LOVE!!!!
Thanks for trusting me with all of the above as I know that these pictures will be amongst the others that are so near and dear to your hearts.  I was honored to document your wedding and more importantly your love for each other.  When you look into each other's eyes, what you see on the other side is so pure and true.  May you always be able to make each other smile without saying a word and may you always love each other as sincerely and passionately as you do at this moment.

Mona and Richard chose to see each other before the ceremony also called a "First Look"

Click here to see more Richard and Mona's wedding day.





 
  











 



     




  





































Venue:    Old Town Hall   Fairfax, Virginia
Catering by:         Main Event Caterers        
Flowers by:         Karin’s Florist           
Music performed by:    Josh Feinberg          
Hair and Makeup:    Gina Hamrah          

Sunday, October 24, 2010

MB - Senior Shoot

     The call went out that I was looking for a Senior to shoot and THIS young lady answered the call within minutes.  Kai put it out there on Twitter and by the time she got back downstairs to let me know that she had MB had already e-mailed me and asked me how she could help.
     She was game for trying anything and as we walked through the streets she and I were thinking the same thing when it came to the juxtaposition of doors, windows, ivy climbing on walls, the old and the new.  Some people work hard at getting "the look".... she just looked.   We laughed our way through the streets dodged cars and mumbled pleasantries to people who wanted to know why we were standing in the middle of the street at 9AM and all the awkwardness that my children swore would be there was mysteriously absent.
     MB thanks for answering the call and for being there. Way to "Bring It!"... you light up the camera and if you were not sure before if you could dabble in modeling...look at these pictures and be Sure! Your song choice for your slideshow is just perfect!

... to see more of MB's session Click Here!





















to see more of MB's session Click Here!

Family Session

I love it when my brides come back to me for portraits.  Donna has been trying to get our schedules to mesh for a while and with a young working family this is sometimes difficult.  I am always honored to get the call and have the trust people give me and I in turn try to help them bring out their inner fabulous-o-so during their session.  No word to describe giving us (women especially) permission to feel beautiful for the day, the hour, the moment... Why not! 
Donna, Reese thanks for trusting me to grab your fabulous for an hour. You are truly blessed and I'm so happy that almost three years of marriage have passed you by.  May you continue to find comfort in each others arms and foster that comfort within your children, who emulate your love. They.... put the C in CUTE!



Did not mean to mess up the bad boy image Reese.. but the smile really works!!












Click here to see more of their session!!

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Little Book that Could - "The Go-Giver"

It's been two years since I joined my Book Club and while I am a self admitted non-book reader I give a good effort each and every time.  I've only missed one, of our monthly meetings, and have started each and every book. There has not been a book that I did not get at least halfway through and at least five or so that I have completed. My new Book Club friends often start the meeting by asking me if I have finished the current read and often get a big laugh out of my answer.  Why they don't kick me out is a thought my brain has pondered but I have gotten better and I do try, always...    I, like the other special ladies in the group, bring something different to it each and every meeting whether I finish the book or not... or at least that is what I tell myself....  "It is what it is..." (I'll let you know if I ever get my walking papers)...

Who could have so many books and not read them all? (smile)  I once belonged to the "Oprah-tells-you-to-buy-it-so-it-must-be-good-book-buyers-club"  I gave up a couple of years ago... but in the meantime, I have quite the collection.. (smile)



Lately, I have evaluated my business intently and have pondered, recognized and tackled my weaknesses as it relates to it.  Acknowledging openly that one is not perfect is very hard for most but to acknowledge, embrace and thereafter strive to make things different/better is the key, in my humble opinion, to true growth. I seek to be the best I can be and have read a little bit lately ... OK maybe a lot about how others have done this for themselves.  I started with the book called the "The E-Myth Revisited" and lost myself in the text as it penetrated my brain and sought to transform my thoughts.. I urged my husband to read it as well and read to him at night sometimes when the words on the page actually made it hard for me not to share.  Reluctantly, he allowed me to softly read to him and we both amazed at what was coming off of the pages.  In the meantime, I was also reading "SHIFT", "REWORK" and the book club book "The Immortal Life of Heneretta Lacks".  Through our discussions, Eric noticed my new awareness and sought to bring me home yet another book for my new venture. He pulled them out of the bag not knowing, at the time, that these two little books would really change the way we thought about a lot of things. He wanted me to start with the second one and he would start with the first one.  I tried to sneak the first one away form him several times because I have a hard time reading a sequel out of order but he was stanch about finishing the first one first
"Go finish all of those other books you have, I'll be done in a couple of days".  A week later I asked if he had finished it.
 "Yes" he said "but a funny thing happened...I gave it away"
"You did what...?" I asked... honestly, it was more of a squeal.
"I gave it away, isn't that what the book is about? It is called the "The Go-Giver" right?" and he went on to explain how this little book made him see things differently and how he was compelled to give it to someone who asked about it.
I smiled as he told the story and could not help thinking how lucky I was to have found someone who genuinely and consistently thinks of others.  I went to the bookstore the next day and purchased another copy.  He saw it in my hands that night and smiled.  I have since finished it and have admittedly been transformed by it and what it says both about business and life.  Is this an endorsement? " I think so. While I will apply what I have learned to my business I'm confident that it's principles could be life changing in many areas of your life. The Little Book That Could.... do a lot for all of us... (Happy Monday everyone)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Children at the Wedding? Cuteness Abound

Over the years there has been endless debate about "Children at the Wedding".  Some believe that they should come and just as many believe they should not be there.  Over the years, I have seen it both ways and in between including on site babysitting services complete with games and pizza. Consideration for the above is certainly the choice of the bride and groom and may include the following when preparing the final decision.   Cost, behavior, maturity, if you invite one you have to invite them all, venue, attention span, noise, family and friends feelings all of these go into the discussion...  and the list goes on and on. From a photographers perspective the joy of them being there is in the pictures of course!!!!  Cuteness abound!

They always look so handsome all dressed up!



They tend to take the job at hand seriously!


Later they start to relax!


 Dance...like no one is looking!!


Have others join the fun..


 Sometimes they don't get it.. but who cares?



 And every now and then the dance floor is all theirs....



 



either way... they are always just so darn CUTE!!!

Friday, September 24, 2010

unexpected photo shoot and my baby camera

On vacation....laying in the sun, no kids, no work, no tv, no phone.... nothing..... just Eric and I enjoying the solitude of the moment and the joy of being together without the hustle and bustle that normally surrounds us on a daily basis. No worries....
We relish the quiet, the solitude, the moment.  One day we decide to eat a quick bite and I decide that we need to take a photo of us in this beautiful place.. you know to remember it all, to prove to each other later that we really were there having a ball.  I whip out my tiny, go to, vacation camera, as I don't take my working camera on vacation... don't want to shoot, don't need to shoot, the baby camera is there just to document the moment for the two of us.  A small framed woman at the neighboring table jumps up and cheerfully offers to snap the memory.  We begin to talk.. we talk for what seems like hours.  Her husband joined us and we talk some more.  They join us for dinner that night and the next night too. At some point, they introduce us to their daughter...a tiny tot who is just a cheerful as her mom and as cute as a button too.
Mom explains during one of our conversations that she is just sick that she forgot her camera at home in Connecticut. She wants to go to Walmart in the neighboring town and get a click camera just to take pictures of her daughter.  Eric looks at me and smiles.  I look the other way and smile.  After about 10 seconds.. it's the photographer in me... I tell her that I'd love to shoot her daughter for her, if she wants me too and directs her to look at my website that night.  The next morning early, she called to arrange "the shoot" and I explained that I only had my baby camera so it would not be the best of shoots but I'd just take some pictures of her.  She was thrilled!

To my surprise.. mom dressed her up in all white and I began the shoot.  We had fun.. laughing, playing and mom and dad even joined in for a few.  She thanked me over and over again and upon our checkout she had  a handmade photo album presented to us by the clerk with a hand written note, once again expressing her gratitude. 

The unexpected photo shoot resulted in some really nice pictures.. even from my baby camera!
Proving to me that it's not the equipment you use, it's the passion that drives the memory! I was taken aback by the results.

Happy Friday Everyone!





Thursday, September 23, 2010

More than Air - Kia & Mike's Whitehall Manor Wedding Remembered!

It's been a while now but it is a wedding that I will never forget.  In my mind the possibility of shooting it was, lets say, surreal.  I knew that it was going to be a big one..huge.. and I also knew, deep inside of my spirit that I could do it but getting it was another story.
Kia and her mom came to me one afternoon.  I sat with paper and pen ready to write down the details of her day but somewhere along the course of the conversation I set the paper and pen down and just answered the questions they tossed my way.  They had all of them on a checklist.. you know, from the bridal "make sure you don't forget anything"  list in the perfectly bound notebook.. mother and daughter both had one and I just sat and tried to answer. Suddenly it got really hot in the room and I knew that this was not going to happen for "a little bit of whimsy".  My kids, huddled on the floor on the catwalk above the greatroom where we met, began to quietly laugh at my attempts to answer.  I did my best and answered truthfully.  One question I just told mom.. "I'll have to get back to you on that one.  That is something I've never even thought about".  I could not lie.. but inside I had given up. Trust me, I was resolved with that.  At that moment, I knew that this wedding was just not for me, even though I wanted it more than air.
When they left, my kids recounted to me how ridiculous I sounded and shouted... " oh well.. you won't be shooting that one.."  We all laughed. Secretly, I wanted to cry.
About a week went by and I got a call from Kia saying... "we have chosen you and we want you to shoot my wedding".  I wish you could have seen my face and the shouts to God thanking him for making my wish come true when I hung up.
The wedding was just spectacular... the venue, the flowers, the cakes, the center pieces, the food, the luge, the photo booth, the Calypso band, the DJ, the desert cart with chocolate after dinner drink cups... EVERYTHING.. a photographer's dream.. and it was mine. I lost three pounds that day, I was so excited.
It has been years since Kia and Mike got married so I was very surprised and delighted when I received an e-mail from Kia a while back which said in part...

"Hi Delores,
 Every now and then, I feel nostalgic and check your website to look at our engagement and wedding pictures.  Mike and I regularly look through our wedding album (he recently confessed that he looks at it even more than I was aware of!)" ...............".......... this morning, I suddenly felt compelled to look at our wedding photos on your website.  Tears! Tears! Tears!  Happy tears and laughter, of course!  Well, it is 1 year and 8 months later and we are more in love than our wedding day and I just want to thank you and your husband again for beautifully capturing the start of our married journey and one of the happiest days of our life together!"

All the best,
Kia Mills

Thanks Kia & Mike and Mr & Mrs Tucker.. for trusting me when I was lifting off from my nest.. branching out and taking flight.  Your wedding taught me a lot about relationships, love and trust.
Trusting myself and trusting my passion for what I love to do...  Documenting your day was a culmination of all of the above and I Loved Every Minute Of It!!

Click HERE to see Kia and Mike's slideshow!


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Robert + Eartha = Married Oxon Hill Manor Wedding

I saw rain drops early that morning and prayed for it to pass before Eartha woke up. I knew the wedding she had been planning for some time was unfolding and I wanted this day to be as perfect as she had planned in her minds eye. The hurricane was just glancing the coast and threatened rain but as the day progressed the remnants that told the story were just the overcast sky.When I arrived at Oxon Hill Manor and saw the white chairs lined perfectly in rows, I knew that the wedding would go forward as planned and Robert and Eartha would have their outdoor wedding.
Witnessing these two very special people get married was a joy for me. Every time I captured them in my lens Eartha seemed to glow with excitement, devotion, passion and love while at the same time Robert seemed to respond to her warm smile, relaxed, proud, passionate and in love. When they look into each others eyes and pause... there is that moment you are witnessing something powerful, electric and real...
Their prospective children walked with them to be at their side for this special day.  How great was that... two families joining or at least unwavering consent from those whom opinions mean the most to Robert and Eartha.  Robert with his beautiful daughter and Eartha with her handsome son.

Robert and Eartha thank you for allowing me to capture this awesome day and to get to know you over the past few months. I wish you both all the happiness in the world that your hearts can hold and minds can imagine.


To see more pictures of their day click here!















You two look incredible!




































Please click HERE to see more of their wedding day.